A Lesson in Romantics
by WindowChild
Summary: Annabeth teaches Percy a little something about girls. Percabeth.


Annabeth found Percy sitting on the steps of the Poseidon cabin. "What's up?" she asked casually. They hadn't really talked about it all yet, and she figured that's what his thoughtful expression was about.

He gazed at her seriously for a moment, and then said, "When did you start liking me? You know, like as more than a friend?"

She smiled slightly, trying to restrain laughter. She kind of liked that he wanted to know. "Probably around the same time I stopped hating you."

"You hated me?" he asked, surprised. He knew they hadn't gotten along all that well at first, but hate…

"Well, not hate exactly. I guess around the time I started appreciating you as a friend."

He slowly processed this, and then nodded. "Okay, thanks for telling me."

"No problem." She hesitated, and then slid nearer to him so that their arms were touching. It was only slightly awkward, as they were not yet at the constant touchy-feely stage of their relationship. They were getting there though; Annabeth could read the signs.

"Wait," Percy said suddenly, turning to her, "Then why did you call me Seaweed Brain?"

"I still do that, Seaweed Brain," she said, allowing a laugh to escape her lips, "I don't know, I just did."

"Why though? I mean, if you always liked me."

She shrugged. "That's just how it works. That's how girls are."

Percy looked entirely mystified. "Really?"

"Not all girls, I guess. Some are more directly flirty."

He nodded slowly; Rachel was more like that. "So either flirty or mean?"

She suppressed an eye roll. "It's not _mean_, Percy. That's how girls help to divert attention from the fact that they like you."

"Oh." He still looked stunned, much like he'd just been hit in the face with a two by four. "But why do they do that? Divert attention. It's really stupid."

This time she really did roll her eyes. "That's just how girls are Percy," she said, exasperated. "And no offence, but you should probably get used to it. They take up half of the population."

"Well I don't care about _them_," he replied, "I'm not going out with _them_. I only wanted to know what you thought."

She smiled, in spite of herself. Sometimes he was sweetest when he didn't mean to be. "What I think?" She twirled her hair, purposely taking her time. She couldn't help but love the way that he stared at her, taking in her every movement, just as she did his. "I think that it's sweet. The playing hard to get. It's a way to keep your pride, I guess. But still get what you want. Does that make sense?"

He grinned now, too. "Now we're talking. That actually sounds like you." His face clouded over once again, and he asked yet another question. "One second, though. It was only about pride? That's why you didn't tell me you liked me?"

"Well, that and the fact that we were always near to death. Yeah." She blew a strand of hair from her face, her sarcasm kicking out. "Besides, it was complicated. You know, with… everything."

For her sake, he didn't roll _his _eyes. "Alright. But Annabeth, if you'd just told me, I would've asked you out a lot sooner. We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble."

She plopped her head into her heads, the slightest bit incensed. "But _you're _the guy. That's your job."

He sat up straighter, evidently unaware of this unspoken rule. "Says who?"

"Um, tradition? Percy, you should've taken initiative!"

"Initiative? But you're the independent one!" They sat in silence, Annabeth inadvertently flattered once again.

Percy abruptly broke in, by saying. "Hey, can that count as our first fight? So I can stop worrying about when it's going to happen?"

She laughed out loud. Sometimes she liked him best when he was dumb. "Yeah, okay."

He beamed at her, eyes twinkling slyly. "Does that mean… can I have a make up kiss?"

Annabeth smirked. "Yeah, okay Seaweed Brain." She pecked him on the lips, thus concluding their first pseudo-fight.

"Hey, how's that for taking initiative?" Percy asked, looking proud of himself.

She groaned, the moment slightly crushed. "Yeah, except that I kissed _you_. You know what, whatever. Want to go to dinner?"

"Okay, sure," Percy said, jumping up beside her. "Can I hold your hand?"

She nodded and he took it, gently holding it between his callused fingers. And she smiled, knowing that he was resisting the urge to ask about initiative again, purely so she wouldn't get annoyed. She decided that with Percy, it was still nice to fight. At least some things never changed.


End file.
